Frequently Asked Questions
Enrich your parish community while celebrating your Catholic identity.
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Q: What is the Loyola Press One Book, One Parish program?
The Loyola Press One Book, One Parish reading program is an affordable and effective reading program for Catholic parishes to enhance parish life by sharing high-quality spiritual books and encouraging community-building. Our easy-to-use reading and discussion guides promote parish engagement and empower your community to share and live the Catholic faith.
Q: How will this impact my parish?
Based on feedback from parishes like yours, the books available in One Book, One Parish focus on our Catholic identity and help your parishioners build up a shared understanding of what makes us Catholic. The free discussion guides that accompany each book in the program make it easy to create small book clubs to nurture the parish community enrichment that we all seek.
Q: Why should I participate?
If you are searching for ways to inspire and encourage your parishioners, if you are looking for innovative methods to animate the faith of your community, then One Book, One Parish is for you.
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Cost
Q. How much does it cost?
The purpose of One Book, One Parish is to provide you with the tools you need to re-engage and revitalize your parish community. We seek to provide an affordable way for you to reach each parishioner with meaningful and quality books, and therefore have constructed our pricing structure to reflect the best ways to achieve that.
• $3 each for orders of 500+ units
• $4 each for orders of 100-499 units
• $5 each for orders of 50-99 units
• Free shipping & handling on all orders!
Q. These books normally sell for much more than the cost of this program. How is Loyola Press able to offer such low prices?
One Book, One Parish is a special and unique program available only to parishes as part of Loyola Press’ mission of service. The expected volume of orders and the special printings that we do exclusively for One Book, One Parish also make this program feasible.
Q. Do you have suggestions for how I can raise funds to participate in One Book, One Parish?
Some parishes have a budget set aside for adult faith formation, and the books in One Book, One Parish meet their requirements for providing quality spiritual resources for their parishioners. But not all parishes can afford to do that. Here are some ways in which parishes can fund this program:
Parishioner donor(s) – some parishes have individuals or small groups of a handful of people who can afford to donate specifically to cover the costs of such a program.
Requested donations – some parishes make the books available for free, but ask their parishioners to donate whatever they can to offset the costs.
Parish groups – there are some groups within parishes (such as the Knights of Columbus, mom’s groups, men’s spirituality groups, etc.) that hold fundraisers specifically to help pay for programs like One Book, One Parish.
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Selecting Your Books
Q. How do I choose which book to use?
Loyola Press has carefully curated titles that we feel address the issues parishes face, as well as offer ample opportunities for thoughtful discussion and sharing. Click here to see full descriptions and more information on each of the available titles. If you are still unsure what title would best work for your parish, feel free to call us at (800) 621-1008 and we will help you find the best fit for your parish needs.
Q. Should I order more than one book to offer my parishioners?
If you feel that your parish's needs would be best met by ordering multiple books from the program, then by all means feel free to mix-and-match. In general, however, we recommended choosing one book to be used by the entire parish so that everyone can share their experiences with and insights into the same book. For parishes with large Spanish-speaking populations, we offer the books Living the Mass, A Well-Built Faith, A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer,
and My Life with the Saints, which are available in English or Spanish.
One Book, One Parish is straightforward and easy to opt in or out of. There is no fee to sign up, no cost to you for additional orders, nor a subscription service fee. We are simply interested in helping you reach your parishioners in a new and thoughtful way.
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Ordering
Q. How do I order?
Ordering is just a click away! You can order your One Book, One Parish books online directly at www.OneBookOneParish.com. Any questions about orders can be solved by our friendly customer service, either at customerservice@loyolapress.com or 800-621-1008.
Q. How many books should I order?
The sky is the limit! One benefit of Loyola Press’ program is that you can order as many or few as you would like, completely tailoring the product to your parish, after a minimum purchase of 50. The more you order, the deeper the discount. See our pricing structure in the “Cost” tab for more information on ordering rates and volume discounts.
Q. Can I order One Book, One Parish outside the United States?
A. Unfortunately no. Due to the high cost of shipping outside the continental United States, we cannot honor this special pricing and offer free shipping & handling to parishes not in the continental United States.
Q. Can I get a review copy of a book before ordering?
Certainly! We are happy to send you a free copy of any title for your review. Simply complete the online form here or call us at 800-621-1008. Samples are always sent completely free of charge, with no shipping & handling fee.
Q. Is this program only available at Christmas?
You can place your order for One Book, One Parish at any time during the year. Most parishes plan to distribute the books at Christmas or Easter Sunday masses when the largest number of people will be at church, but you can order at any time during the year for any reason, such as to celebrate a parish anniversary, installation of a new pastor, or a parish summer reading group. If you are not placing your order in the fall for Christmas, we may have to check inventory levels depending on the size of your order, so please try to give us as much notice as possible.
Q. Are any of these books available in Spanish?
Yes! Living the Mass, A Well-Built Faith, A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer, and My Life with the Saints are available in Spanish.
Q. When will the books arrive?
Books ordered for Christmas or Easter Sunday are generally shipped three weeks before the holiday.
Q. Do I have to prepay with a credit card?
If ordering online, you can pay with a credit card through our secure checkout system, or we can bill your established parish account. If you prefer, you can also speak to a live customer service associate by calling the number (800) 621-1008. Loyola Press never sells or shares any of your personal information to outside parties.
Q. Are eBooks available in One Book, One Parish?
At this time, we do not have eBooks available for One Book, One Parish.
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Distributing Books
Q. When should I distribute these books to my parishioners?
Most parishes choose to distribute books at Christmas Masses or on Easter Sunday because those tend to draw the largest crowds and provide the best opportunity to get the books into as many hands as possible. However, depending on how you plan to use the books, you may have your own ideas on when to distribute the books, and that is completely up to you. There is no limit to the ways you could apply One Book, One Parish. You determine the needs and the best fit for your parish and we help you accomplish those goals.
Q. How should I distribute these books to my parishioners?
After you decide how you want to use One Book, One Parish, the next step is to get the books in the hands of your parishioners. You could ask ushers to hand them out as people file out after Mass, or set up a table in the back of church or in the social hall where people can pick up their own copies. Some parishes choose to distribute the books at Bible study groups or a parish ministry group, or have the books available at parish meetings or events. We also offer reproducible flyers you can post around your church or insert into bulletins to advertise the program.
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Anything else?
Q. What if I need more books than I ordered?
Simply order more! There is no minimum number for adding books to your order. Simply give us a call at (800) 621-1008 or email us at customerservice@loyolapress.com and we will help you get what you need at the same price as your original order.
Q. I’ve distributed the books to my parishioners. Now what?
That’s the beauty of One Book, One Parish: it’s customizable. You decide how the books best fit your parish needs and meet the desires of your parishioners, and we provide the support materials to help you carry out your goals. If you decide to give the books out as gifts at Christmas or Easter Mass, we have materials ready for how to encourage further reflection or sharing opportunities. See our “Extras for Your Parish” page for all the ways you can make your One Book, One Parish experience work for you.
Q. Can I return these books?
Because of the deep discount we are able to offer, returning or exchanging titles from One Book, One Parish is not possible at this time. However, with a myriad of uses and ways to connect with your parishioners, we are happy to help you find ways to incorporate your purchases into your parish life.
Q: Can passing out books really have that much of an impact?
In a word, yes! We believe that making a strong connection to your parishioners, in whatever way works for you, is invaluable. At the simplest level, the discussion and reflection that One Book, One Parish titles foster present unlimited opportunities. Perhaps the book turns into a reading group, where parishioners come together to share in their faith. Perhaps a reflection made during your Homily resonates with a parishioner at Christmas Mass and he or she returns the following Sunday. It also serves as a thoughtful and welcoming gift for new parishioners.
The One Book, One Parish program is more than simply free books for parishioners. It’s an invitation to engage, an offer to be actively involved in the parish life. One Book, One Parish is an investment in your parish, and we continue to help you find ways to nurture your parish’s faith.
Q: I’m interested in this idea. How do I order?
Ready to place your order? Great! Our friendly and courteous customer service associates are happy to answer any questions you have about the ordering process and the One Book, One Parish program. Click here to review the books in the program and place your order, or call us at 800-621-1008.
Still unsure? Give us a call or drop us an email at customerservice@loyolapress.com and we can help sort out the options that work best for you.
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